Warmth
by Namidaga Ochiru
Summary: Hey! This is me trying my hand at oneshots... various ratings will be included! Prompt 1: Warmth Pairing: NaLu Rating: T Please R&R and enjoy!
1. Chapter 1- Warmth

This is trying my hand at one-shots! It is a collection that will be rated everything, because I need to work on writing fluffier things, not just M. :D I hope you like it!

Prompt 1- Cold

Summary- On a mission to the mountains, Lucy's magical power is drained by their opponent's last move, and a blizzard strikes! How will Lucy get warm? My attempt at NaLu fluff :) Please be nice... it's my first Fairy Tail fanfic.

Rated T

Disclaimer! I do not own Fairy Tail or any of the marvelous works by Hiro Mashima. I also do not own the wonderful Random Art Prompt Generator (RAPG)! I only own the writing that you're about to read. :) Enjoy~!

Normal POV

Their adversary was more powerful towards the end of the battle than she had let on. Natsu bared his teeth in a snarl of frustration as he narrowly avoided another Hand of Darkness, but the next one caught him by surprise. Choking as the dark form squeezed him in its fist, he looked up to see the Dark Mage shimmer into his form. Lucy had collapsed on the far end of the valley, laid low by a collision with the tree that lay splintered and broken beside her.

The Dark Mage, Elis, stood by Lucy's trembling form. Kneeling down, she laid a hand on the Celestial Mage's shoulder. The blonde looked up, tears in her eyes. A smile grew on her face. "Natsu... are you all right? Did we take her out?" The Dark Natsu's bangs shaded her eyes, and before the Salamander could cry out, she kissed Lucy. It was then that the blonde mage could see no more and slumped into unconsciousness.

Natsu's eyes widened in shock as Lucy fell to the ground, looking completely lifeless but for the slight rise and fall of her chest. The Mage slowly stood, shifting back to the form she originally had. Black hair and dark silver eyes glared at him as he broke away from her power and unleashed his Fire Dragon magic in all of its destructive glory. A glimmer of satisfaction showed in her eyes before she disappeared into dust.

A few hours later...

Lucy's POV

"Lucy, wake up. Please wake up. Lucy..." Something warm and wet hit my cheek, and I forced my tired eyelids to lift, revealing my dull brown eyes. "N-Natsu..." I shut my eyes again, but a shiver racked my body. I realized then that I wasn't on the floor of the valley anymore... I was on stone?

A choking sound reached my ears, and my eyes flew open. The first thing I could process was that it was cold... beyond freezing. My eyelashes were coated in a thin layer of ice. The second thing was that I was laying in a cave, and a blizzard was raging outside. The third thing was that I didn't have any magic power left in me. The fourth was that Natsu was hunched next to me.

My first reaction was to jerk and get as far away from him as possible. My mind remembered a kiss that had rendered me insensible... but I could vaguely remember that the hair that had touched my cheek was black, not pink. My body was not responding to what I told it to do... I noticed that my skin was dark red, and my clothes were still shredded from the battle. I saw that part of the reason why I was immobile was because my hand was held tightly by Natsu's. Numbly, I thought that my fingers should have been hurting, because his knuckles were white from his grip. With effort, I closed my fingers around his.

Natsu's head shot up, and I gasped silently. Tears were streaming down his face, and his eyes were shaded by the salmon-pink hair that I'd grown to love. His teeth were gritted, and tendons in his neck stood out as he fought to keep his reaction quiet. "Lu-Lucy..." I knew, then, that all that mattered to me was Natsu. I knew that I would give anything to see his trademark grin and hear his laugh. I knew that a part of me broke from seeing him in pain... because of me... because I was too weak to defend myself.

Not caring about the searing of a thousand needles through my body, I sat up and crawled slowly over to Natsu, every move hurting. He didn't react when I sat beside him; his head was down, tears dripping onto the cave floor and freezing. I hesitated, then wrapped my arms around him. "I'm sorry, Natsu."

For a moment, he didn't seem to notice. Then, before I could say anything else, I was pulled into his lap as he wrapped strong, warm arms around me and buried his face into my shoulder. His tears stung my frozen skin, and I smiled softly, reaching up to stroke his soft hair.

"Natsu..." I whispered, my eyes fluttering shut. All of a sudden, I wasn't cold anymore. I wasn't warm, either. I wasn't feeling anything besides a deep affection for the man in my arms. I felt myself getting heavier, but lighter at the same time. Opening my eyes was difficult, but I looked at my fingers to see them turning blue and black. I knew that I was dying... inside and out. Trying to connect with him, I pushed backwards and looked at his face. Lifting my fingers up, I brushed the hair away from his eyes and settled my palm onto his blazing cheek. I forced my blue lips up into a cheerful smile, sadness shining in my eyes. It was then that I perceived how very tired I was... my eyes drooped shut.

"Lucy!" Natsu's voice pierced my daze, sounding... afraid? A warmth suddenly touched my face, wrapping around my body as heat spread through me. The surge of feeling accompanying it was painful, and I squirmed to get away from whatever it was. My prison shifted, and I froze, suddenly mortified. My eyes cracked open, and I gasped.

Natsu, the clueless, idiotic Fire Dragon Slayer, had his arms around me, and his lips were pressed to mine softly. A faint blush tinged his cheeks, and, as if knowing that I was awake again, he sighed, breaking away from me. My cheeks flamed, but my heart constricted. Puzzled, I traced the pain in my chest to a want of connection between me... and him. I stiffened, suddenly aware of every feeling going through my heart.

Guilt, for making him worry so much over me. Sadness, for being the cause of his pain. Hurt, for not knowing what to do. Insecurity, for being inexperienced and weak. Trust, for him always being there for me. And love... for him being Natsu; simply being himself.

Tears welled in my eyes and my restraint broke. All my inhibitions and worries that I'd restricted within myself disappeared. I took a deep breath, conscious of his eyes on me questioningly, alarm growing in him as he saw the tears dripping down my face steadily. Placing my hands on either side of his face, I leaned in slowly until our lips touched once more.

Natsu's POV

All I knew was that she wasn't waking up. I'd called her name until my voice broke, until tears fell onto her still, pale face. All I knew was that I broke at the thought that I'd failed her. All I knew was that I couldn't bear to lose her. All I knew was that one second she was on the ground, and the next second, I was holding her cold body to me, kissing her softly.

How could she awaken these sensations in me, this love that I hadn't felt since Igneel, that was the same but infinitely different? My love for Igneel was more longing than anything, the constant drive to find him again pushing me along. My love for the Guild was about a sense of family and support. But Lucy had a special place in my heart, one that even overshadowed Igneel. When I found out about it, I was so confused that I didn't know what to say or do or even how to act around her. But now, with Lucy in such a fragile state because I couldn't protect her, the foreign feelings ignited into something that was desperate and beyond description.

I felt weak for not protecting her. I felt like I would never see the world the same again, if something happened to Lucy. I'd been with her since the day we met, brought her on ridiculous missions where I ended up destroying half the town and lowering our pay significantly, and seen the many faces of her until I could honestly say that I knew her better than anyone else, even herself at times.

I'd known that my Lucy was the only one that I'd never grow tired of; her weirdness, her smile, her anger and determination in battle, and the overall way that she was exclusively Lucy... they were all things that I knew I would never grow tired of; she was someone that I would love for the rest of my life. A bolt of realization and some fear went through me as I realized it; I was in love with Lucy.

Sighing, I broke away from her, lost in my thoughts. I couldn't even tell when my love for her had started. Risking a glance up at her, I felt my eyes widen as tears brimmed in her eyes. She looked up at me as they spilled over, cascading down her cheeks. Before I could ask what was wrong and try to comfort her, before I could even reach for her, her hands were on either side of my face and her lips were on mine.

Lucy's POV

His lips were soft, and it clearly took some time for him to realize that I was the one that initiated the kiss this time. Carefully, his hands came up to cup my face, and he stroked my cheek with a gentleness that I didn't know he possessed before pushing my shoulders, breaking away from me. A shudder went through me at the loss of warmth, and I looked at him with sad eyes. "Natsu..." I knew, then. I couldn't say how I felt until I knew whether he felt the same.

"Lucy... come here." I looked up at him, shuddering from the extreme cold. His eyes were warm, but I could see the struggle on his face. I realized that I wouldn't be able to look at him or interact with him ever again until I knew his feelings. So I gritted my teeth and shocked him. "No."

A change came over him. He went from stunned to angry in seconds. But as I felt fear flicker up inside me at his impressive anger, his arms wrapped around me and pulled me against his body. My hands were trapped between us, resting on his muscled chest, and before I could say anything, his mouth crushed mine.

This kiss wasn't gentle, tentative, or sweet; it was passionate, and the meaning in it turned my resistance into dust and my body into jello. Time seemed to stand still, but eventually he pulled away, resting his forehead on mine. "Damn it, Luce. Let me help you. Can't you see that I'm in love with you? Lucy..." His eyes were bleak and desperate, and I put a finger against his lips. A lone tear dripped down my cheek, and I smiled. Relaxing, I let Natsu pull me into his warm arms and cradle me against his chest, effectively warming me.

"Natsu?" He hummed as he pulled us into a more comfortable position, my back pressed against his chest as his legs bent on either side of me. "I love you, too." I bit my lip. "..." Natsu's content became apparent as he tightened his arms around me and pressed a kiss to my shoulder. "Lucy... thank you." Smiling, I closed my eyes and let myself grasp this one moment, experiencing true happiness. This was where I belonged; it didn't matter if I was in a cave in the mountains; I was with Natsu. That was enough for me.

~Fin~

_**Did you like it? Please review and tell me what you think! This collection may go on a long time, so I need some advice on what to do better! Thanks!**_


	2. Chapter 2- Sakura Grove

Prompt 2- Sakura Blossoms

Summary- It was the only place she could escape from unhappiness. So, of course, it makes sense that it was there she would find true happiness.

Rated M for explicit content!

Genre(s): Romance, Hurt/Comfort

Lucy's POV

Stumbling from the room, I ran crying through the halls of the Heartfilia Manor, blindly pushing past servants until I was outside. My father's yells echoed in my ears, as did the splatting sound as he threw my rice ball, complete with his face, on the floor, calling me useless. Sobbing wretchedly, I looked through my teary eyes at the land around me. I glimpsed a glow in the distance, and raced towards it without a second thought. Reaching the light, I threw myself down into a ball, curling up and letting the tears come.

When my eyes opened as my tears ceased, my breath caught in my throat. I was in a meadow, surrounded by a copse of Cherry Blossom trees. The falling flower petals caught the light and filled the atmosphere with a serene sense. Sitting back against one of the trunks, my tears forgotten, I drew my knees to my chest and settled back, a small smile appearing on my face.

Before I knew it, my shoulder was being shaken. "Lucy-sama! Lucy-sama, wake up!" Opening my eyes sleepily, I saw one of my favorite maids kneeling next to me. "Onee-chan? What's going on? Why are you so sad?" I smiled up at her, even as her eyes closed, tears dripping down onto her cheeks. "Lucy-sama, do not run off like that. We feared the worst." I waited for the words that I knew were coming. "Your father wishes to see you."

"I'm sorry, Onee-chan. Can we go home now?" I smiled up at her, my brown eyes sparkling. She smiled, her short black hair shining in the dying light. "Follow me, Lucy-sama."

**Ten Years Later...**

Lucy's POV

"Lucy, get back here!" My father wrenched my backwards by my hair, causing me to cry out and clutch at my scalp. "We are not finished with our discussion, and you will stay until it is done!" Spinning me around, his hand connected solidly with my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I lashed out with my heels, striking what used to be my father in the back of the knee. As he toppled, he released my hair. Scrambling to my feet, I kicked off my shoes and ran outside without a second thought.

It was snowing... that was the first thing I noticed when I shut the door. My feet stepped into a thin layer of snow, but I didn't care anymore. All I could focus on was getting away from the man that had mistreated me for years. Running, I tripped over the hem of my dress, again. Annoyed, I ripped the dress off without a second thought. Tossing the ruined fabric on the ground, I was glad I'd dressed in the 'inappropriate' halter top and miniskirt I loved, a gift from the servant I'd referred to as "Onee-chan" before she died blocking my father one night when he meant to seriously maim. Blinking back tears, I continued to my destination.

When I got there, the trees were bare. The wind whistled softly through the stripped branches, swaying them as though they were dancing. I slumped to the ground against my favorite tree, marked with the knot that I'd hidden things away in when I was younger. Pulling out the mirror that I'd kept hidden away, I looked at myself.

Tearstained cheeks, my slight makeup smeared from crying. Bruises on my skin, and the ribbons in my hair askew. I pulled them out, letting my long hair warm me as much as it could. Curling into a ball, I closed my eyes, praying to Mavis to protect me. 'If you are hearing me, if you are watching me, send someone that will love me no matter what.' The next thing I knew, something fluttered against my face.

Opening my brown eyes, I frowned in confusion when I saw that a white, scaly scarf was in my hands, flapping weakly in the breeze. But whose-? A voice, loud and cheerful, interrupted me.

"Oi!" A man ran up to me, dressed in clothes about as insensible as what I was wearing. An open vest revealed more than I should have seen with my standing in society, abusive father or no. White, loose knee-length pants were held in place by a brown belt with a silver metal piece in the center. He wore sandals and had a black armlet on his right wrist. My eyes widened when they fell on his features.

Large, expressive black eyes glinting with mirth and curiosity peered at me from a tanned face. A wide grin was in place, and a light pink tinge spread across his cheeks. On his right bicep was a mark, the symbol of the guild I admired most, but was unable to reach even with my keys, gathered in secret. What struck me most by surprise, however, was the salmon-pink hair on his head. It spiked everywhere in a boyish, carefree look, but I could see that he didn't spend hours styling it. I grew a small bit of respect for him. I'd had hundreds of potential suitors that spent more time on their appearance than they did with me.

"Ne, ne! Thanks for catching that! I don't know how it blew away... Happy?" I looked at him in confusion until I saw the cat on his shoulder. Strangely enough, the cat was blue with large, expressive eyes, and a similar guild mark... a green satchel was tied around its neck. The cat hopped off the man's shoulder, and I looked down, expecting it to land on the ground in front of me.

Instead, I saw a shadow. "Aye!" Looking up, I nearly fell sideways in surprise. 'Happy', aptly named with a huge grin splitting his face, was hovering a foot above my head with white wings keeping him aloft. I made to stand up, unused to looking up at people, and lost my balance. My mind was blank as I fell towards the hard ground, but I clutched the scarf to my chest and knew that I'd endured pain worse than this fall.

Natsu's POV

My eyes widened as she fell, her blonde hair flowing in the breeze her descent created. Her eyes closed as if she was anticipating a peaceful sleep, not a hard fall. Her hands clutched my muffler to her chest, and I noticed the dark bruises littering her skin. Like hell I was going to let more be added because of me! Without thinking of what could happen, I launched myself in her path, cushioning her fall with my body. And somehow, creating a rather... interesting... situation.

Lucy's POV

I opened my eyes slowly. All I remembered was getting up and falling down... but the hard impact I expected never happened. I was lying on something softer than the ground... and warm. I wriggled a bit, trying to get comfortable, and it moved. My eyes opened, then, to the biggest shock of my life, for more reasons than one.

Lying beneath me, his arms around my waist securely, was the man I'd met earlier, not ten minutes ago. 'Happy' was nowhere to be seen... it was just him and me in this intimate, awkward position. I felt my cheeks flush red... I was lying sideways off his waist and my hands were pressed against his chest, while my cheek rested on his shoulder. I made a move to disentangle myself, but a groan of protest reached my ears and I froze.

Mortified, I looked down to see his red face looking back up at me. The blush that started on my cheeks seemed to inflame my entire body. I opened my mouth to say something, and an annoying little neko voice interrupted me. "They liiiike each other!" Happy burst into laughter as I got angry. "GET BACK HERE, BAKA NEKO!" I started to lunge after the flying cat, but a hand on my wrist stopped me.

The man grinned boyishly, scratching the back of his head with one hand and a small blush stained his tan face. "Happy just wants sakana right now." His pink hair ruffled in the breeze created by the annoying little creature's wings, and the white scarf tickled my wrists as I held it. Realizing that I had yet to give it back, I held it out. "I think this is yours...?" His grin grew even wider, and his eyes shut as an adorable blush spread over his cheeks. "Natsu Dragneel. Nice to meet you... Luigi?"

A vein popped in my forehead as I realized he was referring to me. A cry of my name sounded in the distance, and I could hear how he mistook it for Luigi. I still corrected him. "It's LUCY Heartfilia!" Cuffing his head before I could think about it, I blushed in embarrassment. To my surprise, he looked up, smiled widely, and said cheerfully, "You're weird, but I like you, Luce!"

Taking the scarf from my hands, his fingers brushed mine, and I blushed as goosebumps spread over my body, not just because of the wind that started up. Noticing my stiffening as cold swept over my skin, he frowned slightly and held his hand in front of me. I looked at him blankly until fire flared into life around his palm. The warmth radiating off the red-gold flame warmed me slightly, but the wind blew stronger, as if to remind me that we were outside, and he casually slung an arm over my shoulders, making my eyes bug out slightly. "Go in, Luce! You're cold; I can tell!" Grinning widely and somewhat childishly, he poked my side and chuckled as I shrieked. "Oh, Luce has a weak point." Laughing, I tried to block his attack but my effort was only half-hearted. "Okay, OKAY! I'm going in, Dragneel-san!" I turned to go back into my home, but his hand on my wrist stopped me again and made me look back at him. "Call me Natsu, Luce." His dark eyes glowed warmly, and I felt my pulse pick up slightly.

My voice acted on its own. "Can I see you tomorrow?" I didn't know why, but it seemed very important to spend more time with this person. My face turned a delicate shade of pink as I realized the desperation behind my question that could have been picked up. "I mean- I wasn't trying to- You don't-" I stumbled over my explanations, but Natsu laughed. "This spot is nice, and I don't have to ride anything to get here! Hai, I think we'll stop by tomorrow! Happy?" He glanced at the Exceed, grinning, but rolled his eyes when he saw the cat drooling on his shoulder, mumbling "Sakana... Charle... fufufufufu..." Whispering confidentially in my ear, Natsu grinned and mumbled, "If you have sakana or some food tomorrow, I guarantee that we'll be here! Our mission ended early anyway, and we don't really have to rush back." My face brightened considerably, and I nodded happily. "I'll see you tomorrow! Oyasuminasai, Happy... Natsu." I whispered the last part as they turned away, walking in the direction of the nearest inn.

Returning to my room in a daze, I didn't notice the cold platter of food on one of my tables, or the note from my father on my bed. I danced around the space I owned in happiness as music emanated from my heart.

**The Next Day**

Lucy's POV

Nervously, I fidgeted, waiting with the basket of meat, bread, cheese, fish, and cider I'd taken from the kitchens. The entire time, I'd been afraid that my father would come downstairs for another bottle of alcohol to drown his memories in, and that he'd discover me. But that never happened; a few servants came in and out, passing with a smile and a bow or a curtsy, but I waved them on, unwilling to let them help. The younger sister of the servant I'd referred to as "Onee-chan" asked me what I was doing, and I replied, "It's such a lovely day; I just want to eat outside today." She smiled, some of the worry fading from her eyes. "Ohime-sama, please don't go without letting us know." I blinked, and she was gone.

Feeling sad, I looked down at the 'picnic' in my hands as I walked silently out of the mansion I'd grown up in and learned to both love and hate. I loved the memories of my happiness with my family when we were whole, and the joyful times spent with Onee-chan. But I hated the darkness, repression, and hurt that I'd gone through after my mother, Layla Heartfilia, had died, when everything had progressed into a living nightmare.

Stopping suddenly just outside of the sakura grove, I reflected. If not for the cruel life I'd had so far, I wouldn't have met Natsu yesterday. A warmth spread through me as I thought of him, and I closed my eyes, a smile growing as I thought of how he'd put me before himself and coaxed my true self out of my highborn shell. Opening my eyes again, I stepped carefully into the grove and set my burden down, sitting near it in the traditional style.

I felt the wind pick up and closed my eyes, letting my twin braids fly as a smile touched my face. My dress today was a deep green, with gold swirls tracing the fabric, showing enough cleavage to be alluring, but covering enough to be decent. The fabric pooled around me as I leaned backwards against my favorite tree, the knots on either side cradling me comfortably. Opening my chocolate eyes, I looked at the clear sky, enjoying the new warm breeze that announced the beginning of spring at long last. Absentmindedly playing with the keys that hung from a ring clipped to my waist, the cloak I was wearing covered them up. Fingering my newest key thoughtfully, I decided to test myself again. Taking a breath, I called out to the Celestial Realm, prepared for disappointment. To my delight, the little Dog spirit fell into my arms. "Pue, pue!"

Squealing in happiness, I kissed his cute, pointy nose and hugged him close. "Plue! I'm so happy to see you!" Plue quivered and made more of his affectionate noises. "Pue, pue, pue. Pue~!" Wriggling, Plue snuggled closer, his little white body vibrating as he snuffled. Suddenly lifting his head, he turned towards the town and then ducked, efficiently hiding himself from view.

"Oi, oi! Boys, looky here what I found!" My head shot up and I instinctively clutched Plue closer to myself. Three tall, wiry men with a strong enough unclean odor that I could smell them from a hundred feet away were approaching me. "Why, if it ain't a little missy! And she's got enough food for the three of us. Ain't that nice 'a her?" The middle man leered at me, grinning widely and showing off a mouth of broken yellow teeth. Turning his head to the side, he spat onto the ground as he and his companions crossed the bridge that joined the Heartfilia estate to the small town that was near us.

I felt fear curling inside me, restlessly spreading and making my mind fuzzy with panic-laced thoughts. What were these men here for? Had something happened to Natsu? Could I get away in time? Did I dare use my keys to try to fend them off? Even if I did, and they were driven off, could I last? If I blacked out after expending magical power, what else could happen to me?

The thoughts raced through my mind, each giving rise to another, more terrifying reality. If these men were to get any closer, if they were to somehow take my keys, I would be helpless. I would become the poor, weak, rich girl that could be taken advantage of, defiled, and used as a ransom. My father would pay any amount to get me back so he could marry me off to someone that was rich enough and willing enough to take me. A large hand slapping my face brought me out of my thoughts.

"Hey, girl, I was talkin' to you!" When I realized that my time for running had ended and looked up at him, wide-eyed, he relaxed and grinned. "Well, there's a pretty lil' face. And a mighty nice body, too." His eyes grew hungry and predatory as he dragged his gaze slowly over my body, lecherously taking me in. I shivered in disgust before I could stop myself, and his gaze snapped back to my face. "Hah? Girly, you sure got lotsa nerve to turn down a fine gentleman like me. Or maybe you're not turnin' me down... Ohh, I see now." He stepped closer as his lackeys boxed me around the tree that I leaned against.

Turning his face, he grinned at his men before looking back at me. "Them fine ladies, they're very stupid creatures. They never get out to do stuff, and don't know how things are. But they thinks about it a lot, don't they, girly? You's one of them FINE ladies, and from what I seen, you's as curious a girly as I've seen in a long time." Grinning maliciously, he knelt down in front of me and reached out a hand. I tried not to gag at the reek coming off of him. "Boys, why don't we teach this lil' lady how things work in the real world? She ain't gonna be so rich and pretty forever. Especially not when we're done with her!"

Taking a chance before these creeps could hurt me, I grabbed for my key ring. To my horror, however, as soon as I gripped Taurus's key, a heavy hand smashed my fingers around the key and wrenched it from my grasp. "Eh? Boss, this girly's got Mage keys!" He sniggered as I cried out, vainly trying to free my hand from his crushing grip. The man's eyes widened from where he knelt in front of me. "Damn, this one's special! Most fine ladies don't wanna be messin' with magic, and here's a precious little bitch who does. Well, girly, then we got somethin' in common!" A horrible smirk stretched across his face as he pressed his palm against the earth. "Dark Bind!"

Before I could even consider screaming or defending myself, a large swath of darkness trickled from the ground and began creeping towards my feet. I started thrashing, trying to get away, because I had the sinking feeling that once that touched me, I wasn't going anywhere. The lackeys, at a nod from their boss, restrained me, holding me down and relishing my shrieks. "Let go of me, you- mmph!" A rag was abruptly stuffed into my mouth, and I screamed into it as the icy darkness touched my ankles. It formed a loop and forcibly parted my legs, securing them firmly to the ground. I couldn't move my lower body without sharp pain exploding through me where the dark matter was touching me.

The Dark Mage in front of me grinned at the sight of my teary eyes, fear flashing through them. "Aww, c'mon, darlin'. I ain't gonna hurt you... much." Laughing, he sent more power into the earth, and the matter quickly attached to my wrists, effectively pinning them behind my back. The younger subordinates grabbed one braid each, pulling enough to keep my head away from the man in front of me. I was terrified and helpless. I couldn't even scream with the gag in my mouth.

All of a sudden, though, the gag was pulled, and I managed to scream one time before the Mage's hand on my throat, squeezing, stopped my air. "Now, now, you gotta be quiet. Ya can't just screech like that, girly. If we're gonna have fun, then you can still talk, but ya can't scream for nobody. Not until I letcha go." He smirked again and I felt icy pressure on my throat. But my worry about my throat and ability to scream quickly vanished as the front of my dress was torn apart.

Vainly, I struggled to cover myself, but the restraints sent cold burning pain through my torso and I arched my back, gasping, trying to rid the agony. My bodice was in shreds, barely covering my breasts, but at that moment, I didn't care less about my upper modesty. Why? Because the mage in front of me was working on my skirt. I tried to scream, but found that I couldn't. I could only moan, the sound of an animal in pain and abject terror, and my eyes glazed as intense fear washed over me.

Suddenly, I found something to believe in. "N... Natsu." The mage in front of me stopped, and glared up at me as surprise and something akin to fear flashed through his eyes. I heard his lackeys wondering aloud what I'd said, but I only whispered the name again. "Natsu... my Natsu." As long as he was still in this town, then everything would be all right. Natsu and his flying cat would find me. "Natsu... Natsu. Natsu! Natsu. Nat-!"

I cried out as the Mage landed a solid punch to my jaw. "Shuddup, girl. You're testing my patience, and I don't want to hear the name of someone other than me coming from your mouth in a few minutes. The name, which is Shadow." As if to prove a point, he roughly grabbed my breast and twisted maliciously, expelling a strangled groan of pain from my mouth.

"P...Please stop. It hurts, Shadow, it hurts... Please let me go... Aaah!" A moan of agony left me as he squeezed harder. Breathing roughly into my ear, he ripped my skirt up the middle and forced himself close to my core. "Forget that lover of yours, girl. I'll make you feel better than he ever did." In response, I gathered some saliva in my mouth and spat as hard as I could. To my satisfaction, it landed squarely on his cheek and slowly oozed down, leaving a clean mark on his grubby skin.

He stopped dead, his fingers still squeezing my breast with one hand and grabbing my hip with the other. Slowly, he brought his hand off my hip to wipe the spit off his face. Examining the glob of saliva dangling from his fingers, he brushed it on the grass beneath me, and, without blinking, slammed his hand into my stomach. I cried out, gasping for breath. That seemed to please him, because he did it again. "Bitch, you'll pay for that." Before he could land a third blow, I used the last air in my lungs to cry out for the one that I knew could save me. "NATSU!" After seeing his arm pull back, I squeezed my eyes shut, awaiting the blow. It never came.

Instead, a crash echoed through the clearing. I risked opening my eyes as I felt heat touch my face. When I could focus my blurry vision, my eyes flew wide open.

Natsu stood in the middle of the clearing with Shadow dangling in the air as he squeezed his throat. The dark mage's feet kicked in a futile effort to touch the ground, perhaps get some precious air back in his lungs. The two lackeys were tossed in a heap on the far side of the clearing, scattering the food I'd brought, originally for Natsu and Happy. Both of them were unconscious, and both sported various gashes and burns. But Natsu was the one that scared me most, at that moment, as well as gladdened me.

His rage was prominent. Heat crackled in the air and created a distorted aura around him. His scaled scarf whipped in the energy-forged wind created by his magic usage. His eyes were black and bottomless, anger burning in their depths. His mouth was slightly open, enough that I could see a small flame burning in the back of his throat, along with sharper teeth protruding where his canines had been. Veins stood out in his forehead and neck, indicating that the level of his control was, indeed, very low.

A snarl twisting his face, he threw Shadow against one of the stones that circled the grove of sakura trees. With a sickening crack, the Dark Mage's right hand contorted. Shadow let out a hoarse gasp as his bones snapped audibly. Gasping, I felt the Dark Binds disappear from my person. My first reaction was to cover myself and cry softly. Unfortunately, one of the lackeys crawled over to me and pulled me back against himself, twisting my arms behind my back and pulling them upwards. Searing pain shot through my shoulders, and I screamed.

Natsu was instantly facing us, his power darkening the air around him, and I swore I could see the edges of the newly sprouted leaves blackening, wilting, and curling as fire surrounded the edge of the mass of distorted air around Natsu. The lackey behind me, on reflex, pulled me closer, using me as a shield, and one of my arms spasmed as he twisted it further. I bit my lip, trying to cover the sound of another scream, but Natsu heard me anyway.

In seconds, he was ripping me away from Lackey #1 and hurling him to the ground, landing solid punches on his form. Lackey #2 scrambled to aid his brother, but failed when Natsu landed a solid kick to his back, propelling him across the clearing into a tree, where he went limp, apparently unconscious. Turning back to his previous victim, who was cowering in fear, he took his time walking over, and I bit back a gasp as something touched my arm. "Lucy!"

"Happy!" I hugged the cat softly, then looked back at Natsu. Happy's nervous voice cut the silence. "I've never seen him like this, Rushi... It's scary." Wordlessly, I nodded. "Lucy... I don't think that I could stop Natsu right now. When we arrived and he saw what was going on and heard you..." Happy trailed off. "I don't think he'll let these idiots live after they did this to you. I think if you don't stop him, he'll have to live with four deaths on his hands." I looked sharply at Happy as he said that, doing a quick head count.

"Happy... you said four? But..." Happy nodded, unhappily. "Aye... Natsu did some asking around and found out that you're Lucy Heartfilia of the Heartfilia Mansion, and you live with your father. People in town have seen you sometimes, and they say you always look scared, and that you always have bruises. There was talk going around that your father beats you... is that true, Lucy?" Carefully schooling my face to avoid the tears threatening to fall, I nodded. Happy opened his mouth again, tears brimming in his wide eyes, but the voice that cut through our conversation was not his.

"You little bitch... Don't think you can get away from me that easily! Shadow Spear!" Shadow crouched a few feet from me, and Happy launched himself at him with a cry. "Leave Lucy alone!" The rogue mage deflected Happy easily, and then glowered at me. His uninjured hand transformed into the deadly-sharp tip of a spear, made of black magic. "Sayonara, whore. I'll kill you!" Yelling, he threw himself at me, his weapon poised to strike over my heart.

Suddenly, I found myself flying in a different direction. "Ha-?!" I never thought that Natsu would be cradling me in his arms, effectively carrying us away from danger. "N-Natsu...-kun?" His eyes, which had been black with rage, lightened significantly at my whisper, and he looked at me, stopping in a kneeling position on the other side of the large grove. His head was down, effectively hiding his expression from me, but I could see his body trembling and feel the heat that was still radiating off of him. "Natsu-kun." I blinked, sending tears spilling down my cheeks, and buried my face against his chest, wrapping my arms around him in a tight embrace. "I knew you would come, Natsu..." His hands moved to support me; one against the small of my back, the other stroking the back of my head, smoothing the unruly hair there.

"Lucy. Please stay over here. Let me teach these bastards never to hurt what's mine ever again." My breath caught at his words, and his eyes shone red from the shadows over his face. "Natsu, matte... Matte, onegai!" I clutched at his vest with shaking hands as he made to stand. "Lucy..." I shook my head wildly. I didn't want to hear it. I looked up at him, seeing doubles as tears obscured my vision. Burying my face against him once again, I let my heart speak for me. "As long as I'm with you, nothing else matters. I don't need the life I have right now... as long as I can be with you, I know that I'll be happy." My eyes closed and more tears flowed down my face. I pulled back so I was sitting in front of Natsu again.

Blindly reaching out, my fingers spread and grasping at the air, I waited for Natsu to understand what I wanted. He finally realized and I felt his fingers interlock with mine, holding us together. I opened my eyes and pressed a light kiss to the skin of his wrist. I knew, in an instant, that something had happened to me that never had happened before. "Natsu... please don't leave me here. I love you. Please, please stay with me. I don't care what those guys did... I don't care what my father has done in the past. It's okay now. As long as I'm with you, everything will be fine." Holding his hand against my face, I cried for a few more minutes before I felt something touch me.

Natsu had his free hand pressed against my cheek as he leaned his forehead against mine, and his eyes were closed. His skin was still hot, but not as hot as it had been previously, when his Dragon Slayer magic had surrounded him in fire. His trembling had stopped, and when his eyes opened, barely a spark of anger was recognizable. "I can't, Luce." His murmur stopped my heart. "I cannot let them go without knowing that to hurt you is to ask for nothing short of death." My heart raced at his next words. "I can't, because... I love you." He looked me in the eyes. "I didn't know that I could love someone so fast... but I can. I feel like I've lived my whole life just to know you, Lucy." He got up, one of his hands still holding mine. "That's why... I'm going to protect you now, Lucy. I'm going to make sure that Shadow and his accomplices know that you're mine, and I'll die for you."

I brushed light kisses along his hand, tears still streaming from my chocolate eyes. "If you must," I whispered, knowing he could hear me in our close proximity, "I will not stop you. Please, though... do not kill anyone." Looking up at him with a newfound strength in my eyes, I smiled. The answering smile I got was small, but it was there. When he turned, he was back to Natsu, who had found and protected me. Shadow was getting slowly to his feet, still cradling his broken hand.

"Shadow... you bastard. You had the audacity to lay hands on what's mine. You and your friends will pay, and learn that anything belonging to Natsu the Salamander is off limits. Lucy is part of Fairy Tail now." Scales started appearing on his face and body in tiny patches, and he shrugged out of his vest, letting it fall to the ground next to me. I picked it up, clutching it to my chest and inhaling the scent that was uniquely Natsu.

Closing my eyes, I didn't listen to or want to see what was going on in the battle between Natsu and Shadow. I felt the ground shake as they fought, and occasional grunts as blows connected. Yells echoed as attacks of complexity were executed, but I didn't let myself waver from my conviction; Natsu would win. I knew it... there was nothing in the world that could change the feeling deep in my heart. Natsu would win, to protect me. A small smile touched my lips even as a blast of heat, followed by a strangled scream, cut through the air.

When I opened my eyes again, the clearing was scorched. The food I'd brought was in pieces scattered everywhere. The lackeys lay in a heap with their leader on top, all sporting enough bruises to last weeks. The spirit of death floated comically around their heads, and my view was suddenly obstructed by a blue Exceed. "Lucy! Natsu found your keys~!" Dropping the pouch in my lap, Happy dropped to the ground and hugged me, his tiny arms unable to wrap halfway around my waist. I gently placed an arm around him, giving him the softest hug I could muster. A shadow fell across us, and I looked up to see Natsu the Salamander, my Dragon Slayer, sitting next to us. A smile played across my face and an answering spark leapt into his eyes. That spark led to a wide grin forming on his face, and a tender look in his eyes. Hugging him close, I didn't even blink when Happy laughed and sang, "They like each other!" I simply smiled and let myself enjoy the moment.

Natsu whispered into my ear, "We need to find a place to stay. I can smell rain." I pulled back and looked at the sky. There wasn't a cloud in sight, and I looked quizzically back at Natsu. He grinned and shrugged. "Dragon senses." I realized that I still had his vest and quickly threw it at him. "C-cover up... we're going to be in public, after all!" I tried to keep my blush from showing, but I knew he could hear it in my voice, even though I had turned away.

"Ne, Natsu! Are you sure there's going to be rain? I can fly back to Fairy Tail and tell the Master that Rushi's coming back with us! But... Natsu! I smell sakana!" Immediately, the little cat started to salivate, drool collecting at the corner of his mouth as twin stars shone in his eyes. Chuckling, Natsu held out a hand, which I took without hesitating, letting him help me up.

A breeze swept through our group, and I shivered before realizing the state of my apparel. My skirt was ruined, ripped up the middle to reveal a mortifying amount of leg; my bust was torn and there were several spots of blood seeping through the green fabric. The once-perfect braids had dirt and grass stuck in them, and I felt bruises forming on my body. I undid my braids, hoping to provide some modesty, but failed as the wind picked up, blowing my blonde hair away from my body.

Trying to cover myself, I dropped my keys, but as I bent to pick them up, my stomach spasmed, and I cried out, clutching at it and whimpering. "Lucy!" Natsu caught me as I started to fall. "Gomenasai, Natsu... I'm all right." He gave me a look that said he knew I was trying to act tough. Bending over, Natsu picked up my key ring and I nodded gratefully, clipping it onto the loop I'd stitched into the waist of my dress. I turned, looking back at them, even as their worry shone in their eyes, and said, "We're going, ne?" with a smile.

Before I could take a step forwards, I was swept up into a pair of arms, which I recognized as Natsu's. "N-Natsu! I-I... I can walk by myself! I'm fine, see!" I wriggled around, trying to get down, and winced when my injuries throbbed. "Luce, calm down. I don't think you want me to drop you right now..." Raising my eyebrows, I looked first up at his grinning, smug face, then down at the town that was suddenly far below. "H-HAPPY!" My panicked shriek was muffled by my hands, so as not to alert people below. "Rushi, it's faster this way!" Happy called, laughter in his voice. "Natsu, our hotel is right up here, and there's a fish stand right next to it! Sakana..." Happy started drooling again, but managed to land us safely. I sighed in relief, waiting for Natsu to put me down, but he did no such thing. Instead, he threw a few jewels down at Happy, who caught them and thanked him with exuberance before scuttling off to buy his fish. Several minutes later, we'd found the hotel, and Happy came up beside Natsu's feet with the remains of a fish. "Natsu, Rushi, I'm going back to Fairy Tail now!" Without another word except a grin and a purr, Happy spread his white wings and took off. I started to call after him, extending a hand, yet my protest died in my throat. He was already too far away. But I wasn't ready to be alone in a single-room hotel with Natsu yet!

A door opening and closing woke me from my musing. "Luce? We're here." Peeking out from under my hands, obscuring my face, I felt my heart clench when I saw the room, sparsely furnished, with a single bed in the center of the room. The walls were thick, made of wooden planks, and I reached out, tentatively knocking on one of them. It barely made a sound. I knew then, that the walls were soundproof. My heart sank, even as I reprimanded myself. _'I have nothing to be afraid of,'_ I thought. _'This is Natsu! This is the man that saved me from those... those monsters, and the one that I know I love, as impossible as it is to fall in love that fast.'_

I was still deep in conversation with myself when Natsu put me down on one side of the bed. I looked up, drawn away from my internal argument, in time to see his eyes spark with rage. Following his gaze, I looked down at my torn clothes. The white bra I'd worn under my green dress was filthy, with fingerprints of dirt smudging it, and my skirt was non-existent. It was shredded to the point that, looking at it, it passed as more of an old cloak. I looked back up to see Natsu's fists clench tight enough to leave marks, and then slowly relax. Slowly, he sank down in a sitting position on the other side of the bed. "I'm sorry I let this happen to you, Lucy. If I had come sooner..."

It was true; if he HAD come sooner, I wouldn't be like this. I wouldn't have almost been raped. But... if he had come sooner than he did, I wouldn't have realized what I felt for him, how much I trusted him, and how much I needed him in my life. Without him, life with my father was pain and darkness. He was my light, albeit a Fire Dragon Slayer light, but without him, there was only the dark. And oh, how I was afraid of that dark.

I moved before I could think about what I was doing. "Natsu! Yamete!" I must have surprised him, because he whipped his head around to look at me as my arms wrapped around his waist, my cheek pressing into his back as I held him to me. My eyes were shut and my eyebrows drawn together, but I wasn't frowning or angry. "Please... stop. Don't blame yourself for this."

His tortured voice rang through the room. "Lucy... they hurt you. They almost- to you-" he choked for an instant, then regained the ability to speak. "I can't forgive them. I can't forgive myself! I should have protected you!" He started to shudder, and I knew he was trying not to cry. I sobbed in response, tightening my arms around him as I cried against his back. His hands came up and pried my arms away from him, even as my eyes shot wide open, my mouth gaping as I tried to figure out what he was doing.

Natsu swung his legs up onto the bed, then turned to me with an unreadable expression. His vest was off before I could say a thing, and it rested on my shoulders, covering up my exposed torso. His timing was impeccable; when I reached up to tug the vest more securely over my shoulders, the worn bodice of my once-beautiful dress frayed and tore open completely, leaving me with my underwear and his vest. Without the tight bodice, the material began to slip down my body. In slow motion, it seemed, both our gazes locked on it, the last covering of most of my body slid down to pool around my knees.

**. . .**

A blush stained my cheeks, and my eyes were wide as my sluggish brain processed what was going on. Lifting my gaze to Natsu, he was staring, frozen, at the puddle of silk and velvet that had once been my chosen apparel. A light blush tinted his cheeks as well, and his pupils had dilated considerably, darkening his eyes from deep grey to onyx. A thrill raced through me at the sight of his darkened irises. '_A man's eyes do not darken except from intense emotion, the most common of which is desire,'_ I remembered from my tutor. _'Does that mean that he's... he wants me... as a woman?'_ Heat collected in my stomach, which was flipping and tightening, creating a strange throbbing through my lower body and abdomen.

Tracing his face with my eyes, I noted the way his blinking had stopped completely, further adding to his state of shock. His mouth was open enough for me to see the pearl-white tips of his canines, sharper and longer than my own, and I could tell that he was breathing hard; it sounded, with the speed of his breaths, as though he had just run a mile at a dead sprint.

My eyes, no longer under my control now that I had gotten a taste of seeing him without any reserves or defenses put up, explored his face once more before travelling down the curve of his throat until they reached a horizontal, ragged scar on the right side of his neck. Uncaring of the cleavage I exhibited with my movement, I reached out, hesitating slightly, before brushing my fingers lightly over the scar material. I was rewarded with a shudder rippling through his body, and his sharp inhalation. My gaze flicked briefly up to his eyes, only to find them squeezed shut, his jaw tight. Smiling to myself secretly, I traced over the old wound once more before moving down to the muscular expanse of his chest.

_'What am I doing?'_ I wondered to myself, confusion swirling along with curiosity and desire. _'Last I checked, I had wounds to be worried about, and I didn't want to share a room with Natsu, feelings for him or not.'_ Natsu's hissed exhale brought me out of my thoughts, reminding me why I was doing what I was. A distraction; the sweetest, most fulfilling distraction I could do for the man I loved. A means to remind him that I was here, to attempt to convey that without that mishap earlier today, I wouldn't be here, with him; I wouldn't know that I loved him so entirely.

"Lucy... what..." The flat of my palm pressed against his left pectoral, directly over his heart. His words cut off with a groan as my other hand shyly traced the muscles of his chest before dipping to his abdominals. The taut muscles I found there rippled as my hand ran over them. "L-Lucy!" Natsu's weak call of my name spurred me on, yet also filled my stomach and heart with a newfound heated desire; a desire to touch with more than just my hands.

Throwing caution to the wind, as well as the coverage of my body, I leaned forward, allowing the vest to slip off my shoulders and fall to the bed beside us. I flicked my eyes over his persona before I removed my hands from his torso. His eyes opened slightly, but remained half-lidded. The heavy, intense look in his eyes, paired with the beginnings of a grin on his face, sent a pleasant chill through my body. The fire ignited in its wake spurred me into action. Placing my hands on either side of his face, I leaned in and touched my lips to his.

For an instant, nothing happened. My eyes opened slightly to find his wide, looking back in mine in utter surprise. _'Oh no... was I too bold? Have I just ruined everything?'_ Before I could move back, Natsu's arms finally came up and encircled me; one wrapping securely around my waist as he turned to face me head-on, the other tangling in my hair.

My surprised resistance evaporated as his tongue tentatively slid over the seam of my lips. Parting them slightly to give him access, I moaned when he tilted his head, deepening the kiss and touching my tongue with his. Taking a chance, I stroked his tongue with my own, eliciting a deep groan from him. Emboldened by his reaction, we fought for dominance, but I did not last long. Natsu took the lead with our kiss again as I directed my attention elsewhere.

Breaking apart for air, I gasped as Natsu took the opportunity to ravish my body with affections. Placing kisses along my cheekbone, under my chin, and down my throat until he reached the junction of my neck and shoulder, he paused. Opening his mouth, he met my eyes just as he nipped the tender skin there. I gasped, trying to cover a moan, but he did it again, harder this time. I let out a moan. "N-Natsu!"

I was rapidly losing control of my body as desires and wants came to the forefront of my mind; things that caused a blush to stain my cheeks and made heat coil in my stomach. Yet, I found myself acting out the foremost thought. Pushing Natsu back, making him growl, I smiled at him as I stood on the floor, stepping out of my ruined skirt. Taking my time to walk back to his side of the bed, I stopped and stretched, arching my back and moaning as my hair fell down around my waist and my muscles lengthened. I heard Natsu's muffled curse, and smirked to myself. Looking at him, he was taking my body in, but there was also anger mixed in with the hunger. I remembered the bruises littering my skin and quickly picked a different course of action. Walking back to Natsu's side of the bed, I crawled onto his lap, straddling his hips, and listened to his long hiss. "Lucy!"

Wetting my lips, I watched his eyes follow my tongue, and decided to try something else out. Leaning towards him, I placed my hands on his shoulders. Pressing open-mouthed kisses to his throat, I relished the sound of his strangled groan. Taking it to the next level, my tongue tentatively licked along the skin of his throat until I found his scar. Closing my eyes, I kissed it softly, then trailed soft kisses up to his lips. Stroking his cheek with the backs of my fingers, I waited for him to look at me before I kissed him gently.

This time, our meeting wasn't passionate; it was merely a bare brush of lips, tender and loving. It sent a thrill through me that even overshadowed our previous kisses, but it calmed some of the fire building up inside me at the same time. Pulling back, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, hugging him and whispering what I wanted to say into his ear. "I love you, Natsu. Whatever happens... I'm yours."

"Lucy!" Crushing me against him, he buried his face in my neck. His whispered words of love tugged at my heartstrings, and, on a whim, I laced my fingers through his hair, feeling the softness against my skin and feeling the purr that went through his chest as I continued to play with the pink strands. "Lucy... how did I live without you?" His reverent, soft murmur into my neck melted my heart. "I don't know... but I do know that I will never make you live without me again. I promise." Pressing a kiss to his shoulder, I smiled, closing my eyes as he whispered my name against my neck again.

Shifting, I didn't think about where I was sitting. Natsu's hiss alerted me that what I was doing was, indeed, stirring his desire again. Experimentally, I shifted again. I was rewarded with another drawn out moan of my name, and a bulge against my inner thigh. THAT made me stop as a fiery blush spread across my face. _'I am straddling Natsu, while he is clearly aroused by what I did. I don't know anything about this kind of stuff!'_ Uncomfortable, I lifted my hips, set them back down, and rotated them, attempting to get comfortable.

"Nng! Lucy!" Looking down at his face, I noticed his eyes were screwed shut and his teeth were gritted. A giggle escaped me, and he opened his eyes to regard me with fire and annoyance in their depths. His mouth opened, and just then, I did it again. "Shit... Lucy...!" His groan emerged, unsuppressed, and I smiled deviously as he opened his eyes to look into mine. "Tease..." He sounded tortured, but I heard the pleasure in his voice. "You know you like it." My low murmur into his ear was punctuated with a kiss to his neck and another swirl of my hips. His hands gripped my waist, and just when I thought I had total control, the tables were turned.

Flipping us over, Natsu kissed me, hard. Our tongues tangled again, and his lower arms pressed against the bed on either side of my head, caging me. Taking the opportunity presented, I ran one of my hands through his salmon hair as the other danced along his back. Breaking apart, I gasped a quick breath before his lips were back on mine, demanding and passionate. His maneuvers were doing things to me; my body was burning up, and a pulsing feeling started between my thighs. Rubbing them together didn't help. Instinctively, I arched off the bed and touched my hips to his, rolling them as I did so.

The reaction was instantaneous. Natsu groaned into my mouth, and reciprocated, grinding his hips against mine. "Aah... Natsu!" Breaking our kiss, I thrashed my head to the side at the delicious friction created between us. He responded by growling deep in his throat and burying his face in my shoulder. _"Mine!"_ He snarled the word of possession against me before laving my skin with his tongue and nipping with his sharp teeth.

I cried out, clutching him closer. "N-Natsu! Uhn... Please!" I arched my back off the bed, and the delicate clasp of my bra snapped. The sound seemed to still him, but I, with no hesitation, pulled the obstructing piece of fabric away from my body. Throwing it carelessly to the side, I brought Natsu's head down to crush my mouth against his. Instantly his body temperature spiked, and as I gasped for breath after our heated kiss, he moved his attention down to my revealed breasts. Hesitantly, wonder in his actions, he cupped my breasts softly. That alone caused pleasure to course through me, and I arched my back again, pushing myself more firmly into his hands. He sucked in a quick breath at my actions. For a moment, I lay there waiting, but there was nothing. Right when I was about to ask what was wrong, something warm and wet touched me, and I lost my last vestiges of control.

Crying out, I dug my fingers into Natsu's hair, pulling his head down against my chest further. He responded by gently biting down on my right nipple as his hands massaged my flesh. Rolling the left bud between his fingers as he licked the other, he was making my head spin as deadly amounts of pleasure washed through my system. "Nnng! Natsu! Kami... _Natsu!_" I cried out again as he switched sides, giving equal attention to both of my breasts. I closed my eyes and lost myself to the sensations as I panted and writhed under his ministrations. Suddenly, the coil inside me snapped, and I screamed into the room, my hands digging into his back. "Natsu!"

While I came down from my high, I looked at Natsu. An extremely pleased look came over his face, and he kissed me, re-stoking the flames of desire in me. I moaned low in my throat, and was rewarded with a growl. Wrapping my arms around him, I pressed his body against mine. He relaxed enough for me to successfully flip him onto his back. Straddling his hips again, I looked down at his surprised face and smiled. "Thank you, Natsu... but it's your turn now." When he caught sight of the look in my eye, he visibly gulped.

He was already aroused; it didn't take much time to get him panting under me, ready for the sweet torture I was aiming to deliver. Kissing a trail down his stomach, I stopped at his waistline and looked back up at him. Natsu's eyes were the darkest I'd ever seen them, but he wanted this as much as I did. Slowly, I slid the loose capris off him.

As a lady of society, I never had seen a man up close except the overdressed suitors that were brought for my consideration. Well, not so much mine as my father's. The closest I'd come was seeing the newborn child of one of the servants. Father had forbidden me from helping deliver again, angry that my white dress had gotten ruined. But now, with Natsu beneath me, I wished I'd at least been prepared. I had expected something to happen between us. I knew that it would happen, no matter what; eventually, we would give in to what we both desired. But THIS... I didn't know how to deal with what was in front of me.

"Lucy... Please..." Natsu's voice cut through my train of thought. His jaw was tight, and I could see the plead in his eyes. Touch me. My voice came out small, very timid. "Teach me." I didn't have to ask him twice. His hand found mine, and he placed our linked hands over the object of his discomfort. My eyes widened as I experimentally applied differing pressures before wrapping my hand around him. It elicited a moan from him, followed by my name. "L-Lucy!"

Giving this kind of pleasure to him, stripping him of his defenses down to his spirit, all with a twist of my fingers, made me feel powerful, but it also filled my heart with warmth. Suddenly, I didn't want to get our union done with. I wanted to enjoy every moment of it. Natsu echoed my thoughts when he spoke. "Lucy... I can't hold out for long... I need you."

Sliding off of him, I walked a few steps away from the bed before turning and looking back at him. Confusion was written all over his face, along with a trace of fear. It disappeared when the last coverage of my body fell to the floor. Reaching the bed, I crawled up next to Natsu. "Then have me. I love you, Natsu." I felt a flicker of apprehension, and it showed in my eyes as I smiled and said, "Please... be gentle."

"Lucy..." There was nothing hurried in his movements. Kissing me softly, he made sure I was ready for him, stimulating me until I was breathless. "Please... Natsu." I glanced up at him through my lashes, still reserved about this final act. He kissed me again, and took my distraction as an opportunity to join us as one. I cried out as something within me broke, and tears spilled down my cheeks. Natsu stilled within me, trembling with the effort, and licked my tears away. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Through the pain, I brought our lips together again, focusing on that rather than the sharp, yet fading, pain.

When it died down to a dull ache, I broke away and hugged him close. "Lucy... are you all right?" Natsu's voice was hoarse, his struggle to remain still apparent even in his voice. I smiled at his concern, letting him brush the last of the tears from my face. "I'm okay. You can move." His body relaxed slightly, though his eyes were still concerned. He didn't budge. "Are you sure?" Smiling weakly, I clenched my muscles and raised my hips. The pain that had stricken me was nothing more than the feeling of a healing bruise. Natsu's hands clenched the sheets beside my head, and I saw his restrained face. "Fuck... Lucy." His eyes expressed exquisite pain and hunger when he opened them, and I smiled. "I'm all right. You won't hurt me now."

Those words were all it took for him to start. Withdrawing, he pushed back in, his teeth clenched and eyes squeezed shut. I cried out, my hands flying to his shoulders as I surrendered to the terrible pleasure sizzling through me. Trying to steady myself on the only thing I could think about, feel, and see; Natsu, my lover. A smile touched my lips at that thought, but he hit a secret place inside me, and I cried out loudly. My head lolled back onto the pillow as Natsu hit it again, and a sob rose in my throat. "Natsu... Nng... Yes! O-oh... More! Please, Kami... H-haah... Harder, Natsu!" My train of thought had dwindled to my base knowledge, and I could tell Natsu was much the same; he moaned when something I did affected him, but most of his sounds were grunts and short calls of my name. "L-Luce... so...good..."

The coil in me wound even tighter, counting down the time until my release. I was already flying; how much higher could I go? "N...Natsu... c-close..." His face nuzzled into the junction of my neck and shoulder, and right when I thought I couldn't take any more, he bit down, hard, tipping me over the edge. With a keening shriek I didn't know I could create, I let go of my the edge and fell into pure pleasure. _"Natsu!"_ As soon as I let go, my muscles clenched around my lover, and he came with a hoarse shout of my name. _"Lucy!"_

Coming down from my peak, I barely sighed as Natsu's full weight collapsed onto me. Exhaling on a sigh of content, I wrapped my arms around him, stroking the sweaty skin of his back and letting myself relax. His arms cuddled me close as he repositioned himself behind me. I looked over my shoulder at him, whispering the words that we both needed to hear. "I love you, Natsu." _And thank you._

**_A/N- Hey all! Thanks for sticking with me for the second installment of Warmth!_**

**_-'.'- Uhm... This was originally supposed to be rated T... but I got an idea, and worked with it. It's my first lemon... I don't know whether it's good or not, and I'd appreciate some feedback. When I was rereading for errors, just that made me blush to the point that my classmate asked if I needed to go to the nurse. UGH embarrassing. Anyway! I hope you liked it, and I hope the length is okay. 18 pages because my mind refused to give up. Thanks! R&R! :D_**


	3. Chapter 3- Tears

Prompt 3- Tears

Summary- Once for sorrow. Once for joy. From the end of the Movie (Priestess of the Phoenix) to my happily ever after. Nashi! included.

Rated T for intense fluff.

Genre(s)- Romance, Family

Normal POV

"Eclair... Eclair!" Fairy Tail's best mages stood in a group, a sobbing Lucy in front. Natsu stood a few feet in front of her, gazing at her with intense, sad eyes, Happy crying beside him. "Natsu..." Her voice speaking his name, breaking on the last syllable, caught his attention and concern. "Is magic good or evil?" Lowering his eyes slightly, Natsu shook his head. Lucy repeated herself. "Good or evil..." Looking up at him as a fresh wave of tears cascaded down her pale face, she cried, "I want a magic that can stop these tears!" Stumbling towards him, he caught her as she fell against him, her head landing on his chest as she cried.

Natsu held her for a moment before pushing her back so he could look in her eyes. "In the end, Eclair was smiling." Her response of a cry of his name made a small smile curve his lips. "It's all right. We're here for you!" Gathering her to him, one hand on her back, the other on her head, he let her tears soak into his shirt, willing to hold her and provide all the comfort he could.

_Several Years Later..._

Normal POV

Another scream was heard from Porlyusica's quarters, setting Natsu into 'wildfire' mode, as Gray called it, but Mira affectionately dubbed it, 'worried, soon-to-be-father' mode. He paced the length of the guild, anxiously trying to figure out if his mate was all right; trying to sense the both of them, trying to see if they were alive, if either of them was hurt. Not even the ever-present promise of a fight with Gray could calm him down and take his mind off of what was going on upstairs.

He thought he had prepared for this moment. The rest of the guild had thought that they had seen ever face of Natsu... but his behaviour was taking them completely by surprise. Happy was reassuring him that it would be okay, but Natsu seemed not to hear; he was completely focused on sensing his mate upstairs. When another shriek of pain and effort split the air, Natsu clenched his fists and put his head down, trembling, as he stopped in his tracks. Happy, floating along after him, bumped into his back and dropped to the ground, stunned.

Elfman came over and clapped the stressed mage on the shoulder, then blocked his reflexive punch. "You're worried about your mate." Gray commented. Elfman took the opportunity to lift Natsu back to a straight position and grin at him. "Like a man." Dropping his voice to a whisper, he said, "She'll be all right. She's got Fairy Tail's best mages looking after her. You'll see her in a few minutes... I'm sure of it." Smiling, Elfman withdrew and went to go sit with Evergreen again. Juvia was missing from Gray's side, surprisingly, as she was helping with the delivery upstairs. Almost all the women in Fairy Tail were aiding with the birthing; the exceptions were Mirajane, Evergreen, Wendy, and Charle. Makarov was bowed over in his chair, his eyes shut in concentration. What he was concentrating about was unsure. Gildarts had taken a mission with Cana, and they had wished the expecting pair luck.

At last, with another agonized, yet determined, scream, the wailing of a newborn was heard over the commotion upstairs. Instantly, Natsu was running for the door, only to find it barred from the inside. "Levy!" His desperate yell made Gajeel's jaw tick, and Mira gave a sympathetic look. "Natsu! Give us a minute to clean her up, would you?!" The 'shrimp' gave an annoyed call from the other side, but Erza was heard sighing, "Natsu won't stop until you let him in, Levy..."

Natsu's fists clenched as he banged on the door again. "I don't care what state she's in! If she's covered in blood, I'll still want to see her! Even if she's even weirder than she is now, has green skin and black hair, I'll still break down this door to see her! Damn it, Levy, she's MY mate, and I'll love her no matter what!" Stopping his tirade to catch his breath, the whole guild was silent behind Natsu. If a pin had dropped, you could have heard it very clearly as it hit the wooden floor.

The dragon slayer could practically hear Levy's thinking process. A squeak echoed on the other side of the door, and there was a sound of steel shifting on wood before Erza opened the door, an annoyed look on her face. "Natsu, you're going to make them cry with all your yelling. If you want to see her, shut up and come back WITHOUT making a lot of noise." Without a sound, he pushed past her and sprinted up the steps leading towards Porlyusica's space. Erza watched him go with a shake of her head, but a smile touched her face. "I never thought I'd see the day that Natsu was willing to bypass a chance to fight to see someone else."

When he stepped into the room, the first thing he said was, "L..." before being cut off rather abruptly by Lisanna. "Natsu... you're going to make her cry unless you keep quiet. Bouncing the baby in her arms, Lisanna giggled. "Little one, I have to finish washing you off, and then you can go back to your Mama and Papa." Lisanna turned back to the tub she was kneeling by, and a weak voice called from across the room. "Natsu?"

With a speed rivalling Jet, Natsu was by the bed, clutching her hand tightly. "Lucy! Are you all right?" Sinking to his knees, he looked at her as she reclined against the pillows that propped her up. Her face was pale, but her eyes sparkled and a tiny smile brought some color back to her cheeks. "I'm all right... We're both all right." Natsu frowned for a second. "Are you sure? I heard you scream..."

Lucy rolled her eyes towards the ceiling. "Natsu, do you even know what it's like, giving birth? Wait... you're a man. You wouldn't." Grinning weakly, she elaborated. "It's not easy pushing something out of your body that's been there for almost a year, Natsu." Lucy paused, looking past him, and tears started in her eyes. "She's so beautiful..." Holding out her arms, she sighed as their child was placed within them.

Natsu looked in wonder at the tiny child in his mate's arms. "She's... so small," he heard himself saying. Lucy looked up at him with a giggle. "She's a baby, Natsu. You were once this small... so was I. We grew, and so will she. Our little daughter... Our Nashi."

Blinking, he looked at Lucy. "Nashi?" Rolling her eyes half-heartedly, she smiled at him again. "We weren't exactly poring over names, Natsu... But with this, the world will know that she's ours. She's a part of you, and a part of me. Nothing will ever change that." Glancing down at the pink-haired infant in her arms, then back up at her husband and mate, she shyly uttered, "Do you want to hold your daughter, Natsu?"

That is how Natsu, the feared Fire Dragon Slayer, Salamander, of Fairy Tail, found himself sitting beside Lucy on the bed in Porlyusica's medical quarters, delicately cradling his newborn daughter in the crook of his arms, and feeling the first true peace he had in a long time. As Nashi fell asleep in Natsu's arms from his warm temperature, Levy, Erza, Lisanna, and Juvia looked in at them and shared a collective sigh. Murmuring amongst themselves, they closed the door behind them, letting the new, happy family enjoy their moment.

_**A/N- Me again. I like this chapter better than the last one... Maybe it's the shorter length, or maybe it's because I planned from the beginning to NOT include a lemon. I guess I'm an amateur at describing "intimate encounters" between key characters. I hope you liked it, and I would really appreciate if you would drop a review on your way out. The reviews really do help... hearing what you have to say lifts my spirits, and I do take what you think seriously. If there's something I can do better, I'd like to know! That said, the next installment should be up soon. :) Thank you for staying with me this far! Ja ne, minna! XOXO me :3**_


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